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graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Queene of Light (Lightworld/Darkworld, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
What could have been interesting, wasn't. What could have been unique, failed. What showed promise, wasn't there. Too bad.
Seeing as this is classified as paranormal romance (instead of what I originally thought was urban fantasy), it might be nice if the main two characters were at least a little likable. Nope, sorry to say, this ain't the case. Ayla is boring, unsympathetic, uninteresting, vapid, gullible, weak-willed, slow on the uptake, need I go on? Malachi is also boring, uninteresting, and slow, but he has the addition of sounding like a robot. Sounds like a winning match, eh? Clearly, these two wooden creatures are made for each other. The secondary characters served their purpose: Mabb, your typical baddie; Garret, Mabb's brother and hopeful usurper, he was almost interesting, but he suffered from the same thing his sister did, cliche; and Keller, who was the only character (or anything really) in the whole book that showed a spark of life.
The pace of the book was plodding. I lost interest every other page if I was lucky. The descriptions are seriously lacking and almost everything is boring, boring, boring. I never quite saw what the purpose of vampires and werewolves served in the book. Maybe they play a bigger role in the next two books, otherwise they're pointless and don't make sense in this world. Speaking of the universe, what the author created, while not altogether original, could have been awesome instead of vague and confusing. A real missed opportunity.
My advice: skip it. Read at your own risk of falling asleep.
Seeing as this is classified as paranormal romance (instead of what I originally thought was urban fantasy), it might be nice if the main two characters were at least a little likable. Nope, sorry to say, this ain't the case. Ayla is boring, unsympathetic, uninteresting, vapid, gullible, weak-willed, slow on the uptake, need I go on? Malachi is also boring, uninteresting, and slow, but he has the addition of sounding like a robot. Sounds like a winning match, eh? Clearly, these two wooden creatures are made for each other. The secondary characters served their purpose: Mabb, your typical baddie; Garret, Mabb's brother and hopeful usurper, he was almost interesting, but he suffered from the same thing his sister did, cliche; and Keller, who was the only character (or anything really) in the whole book that showed a spark of life.
The pace of the book was plodding. I lost interest every other page if I was lucky. The descriptions are seriously lacking and almost everything is boring, boring, boring. I never quite saw what the purpose of vampires and werewolves served in the book. Maybe they play a bigger role in the next two books, otherwise they're pointless and don't make sense in this world. Speaking of the universe, what the author created, while not altogether original, could have been awesome instead of vague and confusing. A real missed opportunity.
My advice: skip it. Read at your own risk of falling asleep.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Pursued (Nikki Boyd Files #3) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
Holy smokes! Ms. Harris is a FABULOUS thrilling, suspense author. Her book had it all. I mean all. It had the thrills of suspense, the chilling twists, the roller coaster ups and the breath taking romance that makes up a well rounded, beautifully written romantic suspense novel.
The characters within this book are perfectly chiseled. They are real-to-life and complexly portrayed in this thriller. Nikki, Erika, Tyler and the other secondary characters really pulled me into the heart of the story with them. Every fast paced move, every heart pounding scene truly came to life for me. I loved that!
Ms. Harris had me on the edge of the my seat through this whole book. I read it in one intense sitting! That is how a book is written, that's for sure. She added the perfect amount of messages from God and kept the story line flowing. This story is filled with hope and trusting in Him. You need both in today's world!
While this is not the first book in this series, it wasn't hard to get acquainted with the characters and their stories. But, I will for sure be checking out the first two books in the series as well as looking forward to the next installment! Ms. Harris, you are truly, superbly talented and I give this book a whopping 5 star praise and roof-top-shouting recommendations. <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/revell-reads-review-pursued-by-lisa-harris/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
The characters within this book are perfectly chiseled. They are real-to-life and complexly portrayed in this thriller. Nikki, Erika, Tyler and the other secondary characters really pulled me into the heart of the story with them. Every fast paced move, every heart pounding scene truly came to life for me. I loved that!
Ms. Harris had me on the edge of the my seat through this whole book. I read it in one intense sitting! That is how a book is written, that's for sure. She added the perfect amount of messages from God and kept the story line flowing. This story is filled with hope and trusting in Him. You need both in today's world!
While this is not the first book in this series, it wasn't hard to get acquainted with the characters and their stories. But, I will for sure be checking out the first two books in the series as well as looking forward to the next installment! Ms. Harris, you are truly, superbly talented and I give this book a whopping 5 star praise and roof-top-shouting recommendations. <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/revell-reads-review-pursued-by-lisa-harris/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) in Movies
Mar 4, 2019
Amazing cast (2 more)
The music
Was fantastically written and was a real tribute to Freddie Mercury
1 of my favourite movies of 2018
This was an incredible movie and have watched it twice in the space of 2 days and really want to watch it again.
I want to start by saying i do understand some of the facts are not true and was embellished for entertainment purposes. This does not stop the movie from inhabiting the spirit of who Freddie Mercury was. Rami Malek did a fantastic job and was perfect casting with Marc Martel providing impeccable vocals that could be mistaken for Freddies own.
Every single member of the cast was perfectly cast and i fell in love with each instantly.
I didnt even know until 2nd time watching it that Mike Myers was in it with a fun Wayne's World reference and that the actor who portrayed the bassist John Deacon was the kid ffom Jurassic Park.
I couldnt help but sing along to every song that came on. I was a fan before this movie but knowing more about Freddie Mercury and the stories behind each of the songs has made me more so. The struggles he experienced made this movie so emotional yet uplifting. You kind of know how its going to end if you know Freddie Mercury at all but i was still shocked by the journey he went on.
This is a movie i could watch over and over and i certainly plan to. This is my joint favourite movie of 2018 along with Searching.
I want to start by saying i do understand some of the facts are not true and was embellished for entertainment purposes. This does not stop the movie from inhabiting the spirit of who Freddie Mercury was. Rami Malek did a fantastic job and was perfect casting with Marc Martel providing impeccable vocals that could be mistaken for Freddies own.
Every single member of the cast was perfectly cast and i fell in love with each instantly.
I didnt even know until 2nd time watching it that Mike Myers was in it with a fun Wayne's World reference and that the actor who portrayed the bassist John Deacon was the kid ffom Jurassic Park.
I couldnt help but sing along to every song that came on. I was a fan before this movie but knowing more about Freddie Mercury and the stories behind each of the songs has made me more so. The struggles he experienced made this movie so emotional yet uplifting. You kind of know how its going to end if you know Freddie Mercury at all but i was still shocked by the journey he went on.
This is a movie i could watch over and over and i certainly plan to. This is my joint favourite movie of 2018 along with Searching.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Eight Hundred Grapes in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Georgia Ford had just arrived at her childhood home, dressed in her wedding dress, but it's not her wedding day. As she was having her final fitting, she saw her fiance in a way she had never expected to see him. So she runs home to her parents and brothers only to find that there are even more problems there. Always being the fixer in the family, will she be able to solve all the issues she runs into by running away from her own? Or will this be a time when fixing isn't going to work?
Synchronization is the theme of this novel. All things happen for a reason. Because this happened(or didn't)thatwas able to take place(or not). Georgia Ford is living as an attorney in Los Angeles when her world is turned upside down. She runs home to her family's winery in Sebastopol during the final harvest of the year. Final harvest is always a big deal for the Ford family and this year, even more so.
I LOVED this book! It showed so many different family dynamics and so many emotions. It made me laugh and cry. This novel felt so real to me, I could see myself in this setting. I picture myself reading this novel on the porch of the winemaker's cottage looking out over the winery, enjoying a glass of Block-14. The imagery is that vivid. I could definitely see this book becoming a major motion picture.
Kudos to Laura Dave for writing an incredible novel that many will love.
Synchronization is the theme of this novel. All things happen for a reason. Because this happened(or didn't)thatwas able to take place(or not). Georgia Ford is living as an attorney in Los Angeles when her world is turned upside down. She runs home to her family's winery in Sebastopol during the final harvest of the year. Final harvest is always a big deal for the Ford family and this year, even more so.
I LOVED this book! It showed so many different family dynamics and so many emotions. It made me laugh and cry. This novel felt so real to me, I could see myself in this setting. I picture myself reading this novel on the porch of the winemaker's cottage looking out over the winery, enjoying a glass of Block-14. The imagery is that vivid. I could definitely see this book becoming a major motion picture.
Kudos to Laura Dave for writing an incredible novel that many will love.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Coco (2017) in Movies
Jan 17, 2018
Outstanding animation (1 more)
Attention to detail
Beautiful, Pixar on top form
Coco is one of those movies where I feel the trailer doesn't really do it justice. Even now, having actually seen it, I still feel the trailer makes it look like another average animated movie. But similar to previous Pixar offering 'Inside Out', this goes so much deeper than that. And it turns out to be just as brilliant too.
For the first half hour or so though, the movie didn't really grab my attention. The animation and the attention to detail is certainly superb as we're introduced to young boy Miguel, his large family and the vibrantly colourful Mexican town where they live. During the annual day of the dead celebrations, Miguel finds himself trapped in the land of the dead, another vibrant and beautifully detailed world. Rules are introduced as to how this land works and how the dead are able to visit their living loved ones. But it still left me fidgeting in my seat a little.
But then there's a twist, and a real race against time adventure kicks off. And I also started to get the impression that things were heading towards a pretty emotional ending too. From then on I was loving it. This turned out to be a brilliantly beautiful movie about life and death and the importance of family.
And sure enough, come the end of the movie I'd managed to get some dust in my eyes or something...
For the first half hour or so though, the movie didn't really grab my attention. The animation and the attention to detail is certainly superb as we're introduced to young boy Miguel, his large family and the vibrantly colourful Mexican town where they live. During the annual day of the dead celebrations, Miguel finds himself trapped in the land of the dead, another vibrant and beautifully detailed world. Rules are introduced as to how this land works and how the dead are able to visit their living loved ones. But it still left me fidgeting in my seat a little.
But then there's a twist, and a real race against time adventure kicks off. And I also started to get the impression that things were heading towards a pretty emotional ending too. From then on I was loving it. This turned out to be a brilliantly beautiful movie about life and death and the importance of family.
And sure enough, come the end of the movie I'd managed to get some dust in my eyes or something...
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated I am Pilgrim in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This novel has been garnering high praise all summer long so I was very excited to get into it, and I was certainly not disappointed. This suspense novel simultaneously tells the story of a mysterious murder in New York City and a potential terrorist plot in the Middle East that could have unimaginably catastrophic effects for civilization as we know it. The protagonist, who has gone by many names throughout his life, is a compelling and necessarily flawed character. There are certainly things about him that one could find disagreeable, but he is still more than human enough to be worth rooting for. The other primary characters are also fleshed out enough to be equally compelling. As for the plot, it jumps around the world and across decades smoothly and at such a breakneck pace that it gets harder and harder to put this book down as it goes. While the mystery winds up being satisfyingly twisty, it is the terrorist plot that is the main point of the book, and it is easily one of the most plausibly horrifying things I have ever read. Suffice it to say that it has added something new to my list of worries, and I certainly hope that some actions are taken to ensure something like this never happens in real life. This is one of the most entertaining (and harrowing) books I have read this year, and is likely to wind up on more than a few end-of-the-year best lists.
Steph Freeman (26 KP) rated Black Panther (2018) in Movies
Feb 21, 2018 (Updated Feb 21, 2018)
Excellent character development within the movie. (3 more)
No need to be a comic book "nerd", this story has something for everyone.
Accuracy in the culture (as much as can be expected for the genre).
Cinematography and costumes were superb.
Not Just Another Origin Story
As someone who knew nothing about comic books, their stories, and their characters prior to the last 15 year influx of Marvel and DC movies, I love the origin stories. It allows me to learn about the character, the world, and the connections between them without having to figure it out between punches or laser beams. This story delivered all of the above, with a fair amount of ass kicking in the meantime.
Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, and Danai Gurira were an amazing protagonist team, with Martin Freeman and Michael B. Jordan rounding out the character archetypes beautifully. The costumes, make up, and cinematography were gorgeous, but the real star of the movie for me was Letitia Wright. Her comedic timing and her elegance made Shuri the best supporting role I have watched in a long time.
I don't know a lot about the culture in Africa, a terrible oversight of my American education, but I do have friends from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo who were very excited to see their culture represented in such a blockbuster film. It was refreshing to see something so beautiful that will hopefully inspire young Americans to learn about a culture outside of our borders.
Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, and Danai Gurira were an amazing protagonist team, with Martin Freeman and Michael B. Jordan rounding out the character archetypes beautifully. The costumes, make up, and cinematography were gorgeous, but the real star of the movie for me was Letitia Wright. Her comedic timing and her elegance made Shuri the best supporting role I have watched in a long time.
I don't know a lot about the culture in Africa, a terrible oversight of my American education, but I do have friends from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo who were very excited to see their culture represented in such a blockbuster film. It was refreshing to see something so beautiful that will hopefully inspire young Americans to learn about a culture outside of our borders.
Merissa (13100 KP) rated A Reflection of Ice in Books
Apr 12, 2018
A Reflection of Ice by Katherine McIntyre
A Reflection of Ice is a contemporary, urban, fairy-tale suited more to the Brothers Grimm than Disney! Lyra is a young girl at school, struggling with issues in her home life. When she arrives home earlier than expected one day, she sees something she shouldn't and ends up fleeing. During her escape, she finds somewhere new and shiny (literally). Exhausted from her escape, she is rescued and taken into the home. Once she awakens, she finds out she is in between. She has a choice to make - stay in the castle that has sheltered her and kept her safe? Or return to her broken family life and home in the 'real' world?
This is a gripping, enthralling read that would seamlessly fit with stories of old; where fairy-tales were meant as warnings, not as glitter covered cupcakes. The descriptions in this story give the whole thing a feeling of foreboding, an eeriness guaranteed to seep into your veins as you read. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I read this book in one sitting as I did not want to put it down. An amazing story from a brilliant author. This is another jewel in the crown of Katherine McIntyre. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a gripping, enthralling read that would seamlessly fit with stories of old; where fairy-tales were meant as warnings, not as glitter covered cupcakes. The descriptions in this story give the whole thing a feeling of foreboding, an eeriness guaranteed to seep into your veins as you read. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I read this book in one sitting as I did not want to put it down. An amazing story from a brilliant author. This is another jewel in the crown of Katherine McIntyre. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Fifty Shades of Grey in Books
Jul 10, 2018
I thought this book was an entertaining read. I started hearing about these books a couple weeks ago and I thought I would give them a try. This is one of those guilty pleasure reads. The basic premise of this book is that a rich man wants to make a non rich virgin his submissive. It is something that many women fantasize about but in real life would be terrifying. The rich man (Christian) is a stalker, but because he has money then it is fine.
The characters are easy to relate to. I found that the main character (Ana) held a lot of insecurities that many of us are scared to admit. With that said, I quickly became tired of "Oh My..." and "My inner goddess" being repeated over and over and over.
A lot of people are dwelling on the fact that the Ana was scared of Christian. But in all honesty, if someone new into the lifestyle is not scared than they do not know the full weight of what is involved in BDSM.
I think that this book has eased the reader into the world of BDSM. It is very witty and I found at times that I was laughing.
The writing skills were not extremely good. It felt that the author kept looking up words in the thesaurus and it did not seem to flow extremely well.
All in all, the book was entertaining and witty. I will continue on in the series.
The characters are easy to relate to. I found that the main character (Ana) held a lot of insecurities that many of us are scared to admit. With that said, I quickly became tired of "Oh My..." and "My inner goddess" being repeated over and over and over.
A lot of people are dwelling on the fact that the Ana was scared of Christian. But in all honesty, if someone new into the lifestyle is not scared than they do not know the full weight of what is involved in BDSM.
I think that this book has eased the reader into the world of BDSM. It is very witty and I found at times that I was laughing.
The writing skills were not extremely good. It felt that the author kept looking up words in the thesaurus and it did not seem to flow extremely well.
All in all, the book was entertaining and witty. I will continue on in the series.
Debbiereadsbook (1475 KP) rated Fighting for All (Soul Match #5) in Books
Jun 30, 2018
a fitting end!
This is book 5 in the series and you really should read the other four before this one. You will need what everyone has been through to get to this point. And because I said so?
Chris, Lasar and Nary arrive at the air base the rebellion is camped out at, with the Nall and his forces hot on his heels. Can they overcome the Nall and more importantly, the Void? The fate of the human race AND Alasharian people depend on it!
It's always sad to see the end of a series, particularly one I've enjoyed so much, but Ms Knight pulls a blinder with this one!!
All three triads have their time, both sexy and fighting the Void. Lasar suffers a terrible loss. Morgan and Rama are gravely injured. The Sha Sha Ar actually turns up for real too! And Chris fully embraces his destiny. I loved that there were some male/female pairings beginning here too, and that they were unexpected. I loved that the Sha Sha Ar changed the rules, so that not only Chris embraces his destiny, but Lasar and Nary too.
While it's obvious what the outcome of the battle is, it's HOW it's won that would be spoilers, and what the participants to to overcome the pull of the Void.
I can't say much else, or that would be spoilers, but know that love really does make the world go round, no matter what!!
Fabulous finale, thank you Ms Knight!!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere*
Chris, Lasar and Nary arrive at the air base the rebellion is camped out at, with the Nall and his forces hot on his heels. Can they overcome the Nall and more importantly, the Void? The fate of the human race AND Alasharian people depend on it!
It's always sad to see the end of a series, particularly one I've enjoyed so much, but Ms Knight pulls a blinder with this one!!
All three triads have their time, both sexy and fighting the Void. Lasar suffers a terrible loss. Morgan and Rama are gravely injured. The Sha Sha Ar actually turns up for real too! And Chris fully embraces his destiny. I loved that there were some male/female pairings beginning here too, and that they were unexpected. I loved that the Sha Sha Ar changed the rules, so that not only Chris embraces his destiny, but Lasar and Nary too.
While it's obvious what the outcome of the battle is, it's HOW it's won that would be spoilers, and what the participants to to overcome the pull of the Void.
I can't say much else, or that would be spoilers, but know that love really does make the world go round, no matter what!!
Fabulous finale, thank you Ms Knight!!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere*